Pico Macro Keyboard PCB Design
Fresh-place the entire Pico Macro Keyboard PCB from scratch on a 100 mm × 100 mm rounded-rectangle 4-layer board.
Top side priority:
Keep the top side clean and user-facing.
Place the mechanical key switches in a regular macro-keypad grid with consistent row/column spacing and aligned orientation.
Keep the RGB LEDs visually associated with their corresponding switches and avoid crowding the key grid.
Place rotary encoders and any user-facing controls on the top side in ergonomic positions near the key grid.
Place mounting holes near the board corners and keep them clear of switches and encoders.
Bottom side priority:
Place the Raspberry Pi Pico / MCU module and the majority of supporting electronics on the bottom side.
Group the MCU, flash, crystal/oscillator, regulator/power parts, reset/boot circuitry, USB/support passives, and decoupling capacitors by function.
Keep decoupling capacitors close to their associated IC power pins, crystal/load caps close to the MCU oscillator pins, and power components clustered together.
Minimize estimated routing distance between the bottom-side MCU and the top-side switches, LEDs, and encoders.
Prefer moving support passives on the bottom side rather than contaminating the top-side visual layout.
Placement quality goals:
Resolve overlaps, keep all components inside the board outline, preserve routing channels between the key grid and MCU area, and maintain clean edge/corner clearance.
Use both layers intentionally: top for human-interface components, bottom for dense electronics.
After placement, run DRC/review and report any remaining overlap, off-board, or layer-assignment issues.
4 days
0:44
Thinking deeply about your request.
Creating a high-level execution plan.
Formulating an execution plan.
I've made a plan, and started work on it.
Plan
- Fresh-place the entire Pico Macro Keyboard PCB within a 100 mm × 100 mm rounded-rectangle outline on a 4-layer board. The layout must isolate user-facing controls (mechanical switches in a regular macro-keypad grid, paired RGB LEDs, and rotary encoders) on the top layer while placing the Raspberry Pi Pico/MCU module and its supporting electronics (grouped by function, with decoupling, oscillator, and power parts efficiently located) on the bottom. Mounting holes should be placed near the clear corners, and overall routing should maintain minimized trace distances and dedicated channels between the top controls and bottom electronics.
#Implementation plan
- Configure the PCB board: 1.1. Define the board outline as a 100 mm × 100 mm rounded-rectangle. 1.2. Set the stackup for a 4-layer PCB.
- Fresh-place and group the components: 2.1. On the top layer, place all user-facing parts including: 2.1.1. Mechanical switches arranged in a regular macro-keypad grid. 2.1.2. RGB LEDs paired visually with each switch. 2.1.3. Rotary encoders and other user controls positioned ergonomically near the key grid. 2.1.4. Mounting holes near the board corners. 2.2. On the bottom layer, place the Raspberry Pi Pico/MCU module and supporting electronics: 2.2.1. Group components by function (decoupling capacitors near IC power pins, oscillator parts near oscillator pins, clustered power supply parts). 2.2.2. Ensure that routing distances from the controls to supporting electronics are minimized and preserve routing channels. 2.2.3. Preferentially assign passive components on the bottom layer.
- Perform design rule check (DRC) and layout review: 3.1. Run a comprehensive DRC for component overlaps, off-board placements, and proper layer assignments. 3.2. Document and address any remaining issues such as overlaps or off-board parts.
#Success criteria
- The board outline is exactly a 100 mm × 100 mm rounded-rectangle.
- Top layer contains a clean, user-facing setup with mechanically aligned switches, associated RGB LEDs, rotary encoders, and mounting holes at prescribed locations.
- Bottom layer has the Pico/MCU and supporting electronics arranged in functional groups with proper decoupling, oscillator, and power placements.
- Routing channels between top layer controls and bottom electronics are preserved.
- DRC reports no unresolved overlaps, off-board components, or incorrect layer assignments.
Prioritize top controls
Limit bottom parts
Center compact grid
Run placement review
4 days
To get started, talk to Flux or create a New Document.
![Pico Macro Keyboard AI Placement [Example] thumbnail](https://img-cdn.flux.ai/eyJidWNrZXQiOiJncmF2aXRvbi1lbGVjdHJpYy1zeW1ib2xzIiwia2V5IjoiZG9jdW1lbnRfYXNzZXRzL1BpY28tTWFjcm8tS2V5Ym9hcmQtVGh1bWItNDhjOGRiYTgtYWQzOC00Y2EyLWEzZGEtY2I3MzVmNzAwNWU0LnBuZyIsImVkaXRzIjp7InJlc2l6ZSI6eyJ3aWR0aCI6MTM2LCJoZWlnaHQiOjEzNiwiZml0IjoiY29udGFpbiIsImJhY2tncm91bmQiOnsiciI6MCwiZyI6MCwiYiI6MCwiYWxwaGEiOjB9fX0sIm91dHB1dEZvcm1hdCI6IndlYnAifQ==)
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